Rin: An InuYasha Fairytale
by InuColey
Summary: Rin is growing up in InuYasha's village, as was Kaede's suggestion. The others have had their stories told... now it's her turn. As Rin grows older, she begins to wonder where her own journey will take her. Rated M for some adult themes and language.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

**Hi guys! So, before we dive in, I thought I'd have the ever-hostile talk about SessxRin and just clear the air. If you don't like this pairing, you should probably just stop reading now. This is fanFICTION; I can write about Sesshomaru falling in love with a pillow if I want to.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters, just the few OCs I've added.**

**Let the story begin!**

* * *

CHAPTER 1

Rin jolted to a start as a sharp 'crack!' pierced her ears. She glanced around the dark hut and could vaguely make out Kaede's still form, laying on her futon across the room. She was sound asleep and facing the wall. Rin heard another 'crack!' and smiled, realizing what it was immediately. She quietly lifted the blankets off of herself, reaching over to grab a warm yukata and sandals.

As a third 'crack!' sounded, she hissed in annoyance and quickly tip-toed to the hut's exit. She pushed the flap aside and hopped outside, immediately greeted by a boy with messy hair and a big grin.

Rin smiled as he held out his hand to her.

The two turned and headed for InuYasha's forest.

Glowing gold eyes watched silently from a nearby roof-top, one eyebrow arching curiously.

* * *

"Where are we going, Tatsuo?"

"Why don't you relax and let it be a surprise, Rin?"

Tatsuo was still holding Rin's hand, guiding her down the dark path through the forest.

The last four years had been good ones for Rin. Kagome had returned from the world beyond the well about one year ago. She knew she was 8 years old when she had found Lord Sesshomaru that day in the wilderness, injured. When she looked upon him, Rin had believed she found a lost angel. When the white-haired beauty had turned to her, eyes burning red, elongated fangs glinting, snarling dangerously, she realized immediately this was no angel. But she was not afraid. No. There was little that could scare the tiny girl at that point. She remembered her mother taught her to treat everyone with kindness, as it would bring about good karma for her later. Rin treated everyone that way, as she was instructed, but had yet to see the payoff. It turns out not all of humanity was as good-natured as her mother.

Who knew karma would send a Demon Lord to her? And thank Kami it had, for Rin was certain she would not be here today if it were not for Lord Sesshomaru- her demon 'angel'.

Now 13, Rin was on the precipice of woman-hood. Earlier that day she had glanced herself in the nearby river. The girl staring back at her had large dark eyes, clear olive skin- albeit with dirt smudged on one cheek, and unkempt black hair. She didn't look like a woman. An 'adult'. She had certainly grown a bit, even Rin could not deny that. Her long legs and small budding breasts could attest to that fact. Something about it made her feel... uneasy. Aging. Proof of the passage of time.

Time was precious to Rin, and she suddenly felt like it was slipping by her. She was melting into this life. This life in the village, with Kaede, InuYasha, and the others. She spent her days checking up on pregnant wives, delivering babies, mending clothes and picking herbs. It was all mundane. A routine. In the beginning it was exciting to be learning new things and holding the brand new babies, hearing their first wails as she gently cleaned them off. But over the last year or so her view had changed. This life had no thrills for her. Once you follow a Daiyoukai around Nippon for a year, you can't return to a simple life like this. Rin couldn't ever be satisfied by this life. Of that, she was certain.

As she stared into her own eyes on the water's swaying surface, she was reminded of someone. Someone from a long time ago, who also had very deep, dark eyes. Ren.

She had not thought about her family for a very long time.

She could remember her mother had long black hair, usually kept in a low pony-tail at the base of her neck as the other village women wore it. She wore simple, often torn and dirty clothing.

When Rin pictured her mother, she saw her in perfect color. An image that will never fade in her mind's eye. She could picture her sitting on the tall hill near their hut, watching the sun fall over the fields, the shorter hairs that framed her face gently whipping in the wind.

This is the image of her mother she clung to. Not the image of her being dragged out of their hut by her hair later that very same evening. Not the image of her desperately clawing at the man who held her still, or when she screamed for her children to run. No, those images were best left in the past.

Her mother made pottery and baskets for a living. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to feed Rin, her two brothers, and her sister.

Sister. Her older sister was an entirely different being. Rin loved her sister, of course, but even as a small child she knew that her sister caused her family a lot of trouble and heart ache.

Ren was a beauty. A rare one. She was tall, with deep black eyes and long shiny hair. She wasn't suited for the life of poverty that Rin's family had born her into. Ren had looks fit for a Hime, and she knew it.

The first-born child, Ren was not afraid to questions her parents. Rin could remember her older sister arguing with their father on multiple ocassions. Their father would get so angry his face would turn completely red and the vein in his forehead would protrude lie it was going to burst.

In her earliest memories, Rin remembered spending a lot of time with her older sister. Brushing each other's hair, picking flowers, and spending the day together when they could get away from their chores. It was Ren who had tied her hair in that silly side pony-tail, insisting it was cute. Things changed when their father left. He was a samurai, and left home often for work. One day, he never came back. Mother was heartbroken, and even Ren was crushed. Although they fought like cats and dogs, the oldest daughter and her father had a special bond. A heaviness fell over their family.

The boys busied themselves with work, her mother would go days without saying a word to anyone, Ren grew dark circles under her eyes, and Rin spent most of her time alone. She noticed Ren would sneak out at night when she thought everyone was asleep, and return just before the sun came up. She never asked what her sister was doing on those nights.

Over time, Ren grew increasingly distant. She no longer wanted to spend time with her baby sister, telling Rin, "Can't you ever leave me alone? I don't want to play." or would simply ignore anything Rin said. Her beautiful sister started receiving a lot of attention from men at that time a well. Rin was too young to understand at the time, but looking back, the men were clearly courting her. It seemed Ren only had interest in one though: A handsome and rich young man from a neighboring village. He wore his glossy brown hair tied back, and had perfect teeth, Rin remembered.

Rin believed it was this man that her sister was visiting at night.

Ren started skipping her chores, disappearing for hours throughout the day. Rin remembered her mother telling Ren she better be behaving like a lady when she's out. Ren would snap at her and an argument would break out. Rin would cover her ears.

During this time, Rin's brothers, also older than herself, would stay clear of the house. They both did farm work. Rin didn't have as close of a relationship with either of them as she did with Ren. That was something she had always regretted.

The night it happened, Rin had been sleeping next to her mother. They were shaken awake by her oldest brother. The hut was aglow with an orange hue. When they ran outside, smog clogged her throat, making her gag. Her mother lifted her into her arms and looked around frantically as villagers ran out of their huts, screaming about the fire. Men on horseback rode through the main street, weapons drawn, slaying innocent people at random. Rin hid her face in her mother's shoulder. They ran back inside even though Rin could hear her bother shout to run to the trees.

As they sat in the corner of their little house, Rin was quiet as she watched her mother cry into her hands.

"Kami, what will we do? P-Please, protect us. Oh, Kami!" She sobbed frantically, holding Rin to her.

"Mama, I'm scared. Let's go to the trees like Chojiro said. Plese, Mama," Rin begged, pointing in the direction of the door.

"Everything is on fire, Rin, I-" Her mother was cut off as horse hooves could be heard over the fire raging outside. They were right outside of the hut. Rin's mother quickly clasped her hand over Rin's mouth and whispered, "Hush, don't make a sound or they will hear us."

They scooched across the floor to a big pot on the opposite wall. It was amongst several of her mother's recently made pieces, but had not yet been painted. Her mother lifted the lid and lowered Rin inside.

"Don't make a sound, Rin, no matter what you hear. Hush," She placed a figure against her lips in a 'shh' motion.

As she replaced the lid, two men barged into the hut.

"Ahh, here's a pretty one! The men will like this one, what do you think?" A large, drunk, man laughed loudly as he grabbed her mother's chin. Rin lifted the rim of the lid just enough to see what was happening. She saw that the men had swords drawn, and her mother was shaking with fear, although she had an angered expression on her face. She wished her father was there. The tiny girl didn't know much about weaponry but she knew her father's sword was of a much higher caliber than these disgusting bandits.

"A quiet one, eh? You wouldn't be hiding anything in here, now would you?" The man, still holding her chin, grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her against himself.

"I'm not hiding anything! There is nothing of value in here! Please, let me go!" She struggled against his rough embrace. Pushing off his chest, she thudded to the ground. Rin watched as she was grabbed by the hair and dragged outside, clawing at the man's hands, begging to be let go, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The other man began riffling through their belongings, breaking her mother's pots, tearing the lids off of baskets. He found some coins in a small pouch near their futon and some fabrics he found worthy enough, and as he drew closer to Rin's pot, she held in her breath with her hands covering her mouth.

Rin felt herself shaking as the bandit began lifting off the lids of the surrounding unpainted pots. As he reached for hers, Rin heard someone yelling outside, men's laughter, and what sounded like her mother's painful cries.

The bandit frowned and grumbled something about missing out, and left.

Rin stayed in that pot for a long time.

How long, she didn't know. All she knew was she shouldn't make a sound. Mother said not to.

When Rin's hunger and the cramp from being curled into a ball finally made her slowly lift off the lid, she was met with sunlight.

She blocked her eyes from the bright light, and coughed from a thin layer of soot that hung in the air. Dust particles floated calmly in the sun that streamed through burnt holes in the ht's roof. It was actually quite peaceful, in an eery way. The flap that hung in their doorway was torn down, broken clay pots scattered all over their dirt floor, fabrics strewn about. Yet everything was so still and quiet.

Rin climbed out of the pot, and hesitantly exited her hut. Still blocking the sun from her eyes with her hand, she blearily gazed at what was left of her village.

Fire had destroyed almost all of the houses. There wasn't a living soul in sight. Bodies lay haphazardly on the ground, with a thin layer of ash over them. Rin located both of her brothers, who had been slayed, and prayed for each of them. She froze when she found her mother's body.

The woman Rin had watched the sunset with just the evening before lay before her, hair splayed around her in a messy fan, face emotionless, eyes open. She was naked, bruised, and bloody. Rin stayed by her mother's side and cried. Ren was presumably amongst the dead as well. She wished she had the strength to bury her loved ones, but it was impossible for one so small.

When the sun was higher in the sky, men arrived on horseback. They were from another village. A traveller had come to their village and informed them what had happened.

As they approached the decimated village, they shook their heads in disappointment. Everything was destroyed. They headed towards the town center, although they knew what they'd find.

The bodies were everywhere. The bandits had left no-one alive it appeared. As the group of men approached the center, they noticed amongst the dead was a little girl with dark hair and a side pony-tail, sitting next to one of several nude slain women. She had dirt and soot all over herself, a torn brown yukata, and stains from tears on both cheeks.

The men took the orphaned girl with them back to their own village. A first, Rin was welcomed by the townsfolk, but as they began to realize she had gone completely mute and was making no progress, they began to shun her. It started with name-calling, then no one would feed her, then the other children began ignoring her too. The only shelter she could find was a dilapidated hut on the edge of the reservoir. She lived there by herself at just seven years old. That was a long and lonely 10 months for Rin.

Everything changed for her when she met Lord Sesshomaru. He was scary on the outside, but Rin knew there was good in him on the inside. Shortly after finding him in the forest- and after several failed attempts to give him food- the wolves came. Rin couldn't remember much from that day. She was chased by wolves as she ran to the injured demon-angel in the forest. She tripped. Certain the wolves were going to get her, she squeezed her eyes shut. Everything went black for a split second. When she opened her eyes, she was staring straight into shiny gold ones. Now getting a closer look at the mysterious demon, she noted the pretty magenta stripes on his cheek bones, his impossibly smooth skin, and the purple moon on his forehead. Her bruises were healed, her scars gone. The white-haired man gently helped her stand and turned to leave.

She ran after him without ever thinking twice.

Not long after, she found the strength to speak again. She never told Lord Sesshomaru or Master Jaken about her past, but they must have figured out she had no family to return to.

* * *

Rin decided to stop day-dreaming and pay attention as she and Tatsuo continued on in the dark. It wasn't uncommon for them and some of the other village kids to sneak out at night and look for mischief in the woods. However, Rin had yet to see anyone beside Tatsuo this time, and that was unusual. As they neared a patch of thick shrubs, Rin recognized where they were. The hot springs.

"We're going to the spring, Tatsuo? At this time?" She asked, skeptically.

Tatsuo grabbed a branch, about to push it aside and reveal the springs.

"Close your eyes!" He insisted.

Rin closed her eyes and was ushered forward. When they opened, she was greeted by several of her friends from the village, each holding a large bouquet of flowers.

Rin couldn't help the big smile from spreading across her face.

"What's all this, you guys! Are these for me?" She asked, gesturing to the bundles of wild flowers.

The three girls excitedly nodded and came closer to each give her a hug.

"Yes, Rin! You didn't really think we forgot about your birthday, did you?" The tallest, Cheiko, said. She had blunted shoulder length straight black hair, and a cute face. The other two girls, Mai and Yumi, started putting the flowers into Rin's hair as they excitedly spoke about how hard it was to not ruin the surprise earlier that day. Tatsuo's brother, Ishi, was there as well. He was very soft spoken and looked similar to Tatsuo. They both had black mops of hair on top of their heads, Tatsou's tied back into a high pony tail. Both boys had tanned skin from working in the sun every day, and big kind eyes. Tatsuo had a habit of getting into more trouble, while Ichi remained a good, reliable boy who avoided conflict.

Rin always liked the way Tatsuo looked. He reminded her of Kohaku at times.

"Well, thank you. The flowers are beautiful," She replied. Of course, it wasn't her actual birthday. She had no idea when her birthday was. But this day was also worth celebrating, as it was the day Lord Sesshomaru saved her. That was close enough.

"We would have come by during the day but we figured you'd be with Lor-" Cheiko gave Yumi a hard nudge with her elbow, effectively stopping her from finishing the thought, but Rin knew what they were getting it.

Lord Sesshomaru should have come by today. Rin waited all day, but he never showed.

That happened sometimes. He didn't usually give her an exact date he would come, but often left her with a rough time frame.

"The end of the next month," He'd tell her. Usually he was true to his word, but other times he ran later than expected. He always returned to her with a gift those times.

It was unlike him to miss her birthday though, and Rin couldn't help but be upset.

As Rin started to get undressed to join her friends in the hot spring, she thought again about her reflection in the river earlier.

Was Lord Sesshomaru going to stop coming to her completely one day? When he decides she's too old for him to be visiting?

Will he insist she get married like the other girls?

Rin didn't want to get married.

She sat in the warm water; the fall breeze chilly but a nice compliment to the heat of the springs. Her friends giggled and gossiped around her. The two boys were separated from them by some large rocks.

Rin could see the top of Tatsuo's pony-tail and hear his voice as he chatted with his brother.

Cheiko whispered to the girls that she wanted to peak on the boys.

Rin could tell Cheiko had feelings for Tatsuo. She just had always had an intuition for those things.

Rin smiled as Yumi and Mai giggled excitedly and the three girls began wading over to the rocks that divided them from the boys. She didn't join them, not being in the mood for games as she thought solemnly about her Lord. Instead, she decided to sit back and enjoy whatever unfolds from a distance.

As she watched Cheiko attempt to sneak over one of the rocks, she noticed Cheiko's body for the first time.

Cheiko was close to a year older than herself. She had long legs, thick hips, and developing breasts. The boys in their village gave Cheiko quite a bit of attention, which only fed her already large ego. She had overheard a conversation between Cheiko and one of the village boys recently. Rin was about to round the corner of one of the shops in the village when she heard voices, and stopped. The boy was telling Cheiko that she had the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen, and that he was determined to marry her someday if her father allowed. Cheiko had giggled and batted her lashes at him, happily playing along with his flitatious behavior.

Rin looked at herself again. She did not have breasts like Cheiko's, and her hips were very subtle. She was "just a little thing" as Kaede lovingly described her. She wondered if a boy would ever compliment her the way they did Cheiko. Would anyone ever think her black eyes were beautiful, too?

Then again, Rin mused, is that what she wanted? She had no desire to marry- maybe ever. She had no desire to bear children. After watching your family get torn apart, it's hard to want to start one of your own. She had witnessed Kohaku tell Sango once that he would never have a family, and at the time that surprised her. Sango was very upset to hear that as well. Now, a little older, Rin understood.

Marriage and babies would mean no more sneaking out late at night. No more traveling. No more excitement. No more adventure.

No more Lord Sesshomaru.

Cheiko was now on top of one of the larger boulders, looking over her shoulder at Rin. She winked and stuck her tongue out, and Rin gave her a nod in return. Cheiko nodded back and then let herself tumble over the edge into the boy's side.

Rin heard screaming and laugher as the boys got a good scare. A splashing fight had clearly broken out as well. After the laughter died down, the boys and Cheiko decided to just come to the girl's side. They all use to swim together, but recently Kaede had caught them and told them it was indecent.

"Hey! Boys aren't allowed on this side, Lady Kaede said!" Mai squealed, smiling even though what she said was true.

"Well it's Rin's birthday. What's one last time? Plus, as if Ichi and I even care about seeing you ugly ducklings! It's bad enough having to look at you with clothes on!" Tatsuo joked, laughing loudly as he climbed in.

"Hey! Take that back!" Yumi whined, splashed water at him.

Ichi slowly lowered himself in next to his brother, face burning red. Rin noticed Cheiko give him a playful wink, and his face somehow became redder.

As the teasing and laughter carried on, Rin leaned her head back and looked up at the stars.

'_Lord Sesshomaru... please come soon_,' She begged.

* * *

**Well, That's all for now! Chapter 2 coming soon! Please leave a review and let me know what you think. I'm struggling to learn ho to add page-breaks. Please help T.T**

**So, before I get any flames for choosing to write about RinxSess, I thought I'd throw my own opinion into the mix. I do support this pairing (Of course, with an adult Rin, not as a child- yuck!). Now, that doesn't mean I believe it to be canon. I've read pretty much every Rumiko Takahashi interview I can find, and only once does she address their relationship (That I know of). In it, she basically states she has no intentions for them- as in has never considered them father/daughter, and has never considered them having an eventual romance. She basically never gave their 'future' that much thought. She said Rin's purpose was to be the embodiment of pure innocence, and pull at the heartstrings of Sesshomaru- a demon who is evil. She did state in that interview that she receives a lot of fan-mail and stories pairing the two together, and she loves reading it all. Then she closed by saying that their future is really up to the fans. (P.S. these aren't her exact words, just me summarizing what I understood from the interview.)**

**So THERE! We can all be content knowing that no one is right, and no one is wrong. I have listened to the CD Drama in which Sesshomaru proposes to Rin, and while that was made officially by the studio, I do have a hard time accepting anything outside of Rumiko's manga to be 'Canon'. So, in my stories, the proposal will probably not be addressed. **

**What I personally love about this pairing is that Rin, as a child, has her future wide open for her. Her story and character have yet to be developed, which just leaves so much room for creativity. Will she become a Miko? A Lady? A rebel? A Taijiya? A regular villager? Will she be beautiful? Or ordinary? It's all up to us, and that's exciting. Her relationship with Sesshomaru is intriguing to me because I suppose it reminds me of a Benjamin Button-esque story. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Benjamin Button was born an old man, and ages backwards. He meets a little girl and they become unlikely friends. When she's a teen and he's a middle-aged man, she develops a crush on him which he finds inappropriate. When they are around the same age they fall in love and have an epic romance. Eventually she becomes and old woman, and he, a baby. Their relationship evolves yet again when she of course no longer sees him as a lover (since he's a baby), but does still love him in more of a care-taker way. I find the idea of love 'evolving' with time very intriguing. I guess that's what draws me to this pairing.**

**-InuColey**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again!**

**Chapter 2, coming right up.**

**Just a warning folks, this is going to be a slow-burn kind of story. But I hope you all enjoy the read.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters.**

* * *

Chapter 2

Sesshomaru flew over the treetops, looking straight ahead. He knew exactly where he was going, and could get there even with his eyes closed.

A short green imp riding atop a two headed dragon followed closely behind. The imp, Jaken, carried a small parcel in his arms.

"We are close," The Demon Lord stated.

"Y-Yes, Mi-lord! Ah-Un, go lower!" The imp shrieked.

The group descended downward, and as they breached through the clouds a village came into view.

"Mi-lord, InuYasha's village has sure grown," Jaken commented, blatantly awe struck.

Sesshomaru glared over his shoulder, not appreciating the mention of his younger sibling. However, he did agree. He could tell from his vantage point in the sky that the village had expanded quite a bit. It would seem that his brother's presence in the village has protected them from any attempts at bandit and demonic attacks. The population of children had grown as well, as the humans felt safe enough to reproduce. He could see the little ones running around in a clearing. As his shadow passed over ten, they all stopped and looked up at him, mouths agape.

The villagers had grown accustomed to his visits, as he did not speak to or bother anyone. They had grown to accept InuYasha and his demonic companions over time. If they did not bother him, Sesshomaru would not bother any of them. The children resumed their game.

The child here was here to visit was not amongst them, however.

The Demon Lord mused that he probably should not refer to Rin as a child much longer. She was 13 now. A young woman, almost.

He scoffed at the idea of 13 years old being considered the age of an adult.

Thirteen years was hardly any time at all.

But he had to admit, the human girl was growing up fast. He had never spent enough time with one human long enough to notice how it affected them. Really, the closest he ever came was watching InuYasha grow up. He aged at a faster rate than Sesshomaru, yet still significantly slower than the rest of humanity.

The demon was roused from his thoughts as they touched the ground outside of Kaede's hut. Rin's birthday was yesterday, but they had been held back by a troublesome demon. The demon was no match for Sesshomaru, in the end.

Kaede pulled back the door flap and greeted them.

"Well, Sesshomaru, ye have finally arrived. I believe young Rin is with Kagome," She told them.

"Very well," The Demon Lord replied. He turned and headed toward InuYasha's sad excuse for a house.

"Oi! Look who showed up," The hanyou called from atop his roof, "I could smell the stench from a mile away."

Sesshomaru stared up coolly.

"Shut your mouth, you mongrel! Lord Sesshomaru will not stand for such blasphemy!" Jaken shouted, waving his staff in the air at the white-haired half-demon. The half-demon ignored the annoying imp.

"Guess you're lookin' for the kid, eh? She's inside checking on Kagome. They'll be done soon."

Ah, That's right. Kagome was with child. InuYasha was about to become a father.

'_How amusing_,' The demon noted.

The idea of this idiot raising young was almost enough to make him laugh. Almost.

He himself was nowhere near becoming a sire. One day, of course, he would need to reproduce. But for now, the Daiyoukai was content to travel the country-side, increasing his power and influence across Nippon. His brother lived a simpler life. He had no desire to travel and strengthen his sword any longer. These days, it would seem InuYasha was content to stay at this village with his family. Sesshomaru quietly wondered if such a life would ever bring him contentment, as it had InuYasha.

One day he would have to take a wife and join his Mother at the castle in the sky to raise young.

That day would not come soon, however. The thought of living with his mother was almost worse than the idea of taking a wife.

The flap to the half-demon's hut was pushed aside, to reveal the smiling pre-teen face of his ward. Rin let out a light laugh and ran to them, hugging Jaken and twirling him around as he shouted to be put down at once.

"Hello, Lord Sesshomaru! You came," She said to him, after dropping the imp. She looked up at him with big doe eyes and a toothy grin.

She was certainly taller. When they first met, the girl reached his mid-thigh. Now a young woman, but still with a lot of growing to do, she just about reached the bottom of his rib cage.

Her face was just beginning to define itself. Her cheekbones were slightly raised, eyes developing a lovely shape, and her nose was slender and small. Her hair remained an untamed mess, with pieces curling up at the sides, and bangs sweeping across her forehead. She still sported the silly side pony-tail.

The Demon Lord would never say it aloud in a thousand years, but little Rin was a cute girl, for a human. Perhaps he was biased, though.

To think if Tenseiga had not summoned her back from the dead that day, this precious gem of a girl would have never aged past eight years old. Her bones would be dust by now.

The thought made him squeeze the hilt of his sword.

"Rin. I trust you have fared well," He stated calmly.

"Yes, Mi-lord! I was just helping Kagome with some chores. She's due any day now!"

As if on cue, the woman in question stepped outside, blocking the sunlight with her hand. Her other hand lay across her swollen belly. Her cheeks were puffy and rosey from the child growing within her. Regardless of her obvious discomfort in her current state, she was still a pretty sight to behold.

"Yeesh, you look like you're going to burst!" The imp exclaimed, never thinking before speaking.

"Why, that is not how you say 'hello' to a lady, you jerk," The Miko stated, hands fisted at her sides and an eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

"I'd watch what you say Jaken. These days, Kagome can be even more of a bitch than usua-" InuYasha, standing of the edge of the roof, slammed to the ground after Kagome interrupted him with a resounding 'Sit!'

The Miko stormed off. InuYasha walked after her once he had regained his bearings, mumbling something about his punishment being uncalled for.

"Some thing's never change," Rin said as she watched the couple head off.

"Jaken, take Ah-Un to the fields," The Demon stated.

Rin smiled, realizing her Lord was going to spend some time with her today, instead of dropping off a gift and leaving immediately, as he often did.

Jaken handed Rin the parcel he had been holding, then hopped aboard the dragon. It gave a groan as it lifted into the air and headed off East, towards the grassy knolls for a snack. Rin and Sesshomaru would catch up with them soon.

* * *

Sesshomaru sat leaning against a tree, one knee bent with his newest arm resting atop of it. His swords rested against the trunk nearby. Jaken and Ah-Uh were up ahead in the meadow in from of him, out of earshot. Jaken appeared to be playing some game where he picked the petals off of a flower one at a time, talking to himself about something- probably something stupid. Strange little demon. He closed his eyes and let the breeze dance with his bangs. Rin lay on her back just a few feet away from him, flowers braided into her hair, arms stretched out on on either side in a 'T'. She stared up peacefully at the swaying tree branches. They both enjoyed the shade.

How strange it was to him, that only four years ago he would never have sat under a tree with a human, much less a human girl-child. And now, he did do such things -_regularly_\- and even found himself enjoying it. His father must be rolling over in his grave.

As the most powerful demon in Nippon, he could do whatever he wants, he reasoned with himself. If anyone questioned him, they would meet a swift and deadly fate.

He and Rin had an unquestionable bond. A bond not even his idiot brother and the Miko could understand. They were bonded through Tenseiga.

Sesshomaru and Jaken both knew Rin had no idea how close she had come to dying after the wolf attack. Her comments over the years proved that she was not aware she had been touched by death that day. It was still unclear to him if she knew she had died in the Meido as well. She had awoken in his mother's castle, coughing and sputtering and scared, unlike the first time in the forest. So, she must have known she was attacked. But she never mentioned death to anyone in the group.

He assumed dying twice would be such a traumatic event, the typical human psyche would never be able to handle it without going insane. Humans were such weak, emotional creatures.

But Rin showed no such pain. She lived happily, never allowing the negative events in her short life to bother her. Her outlook remained innocent and positive.

Sesshomaru admired that kind of strength.

"Lord Sesshomaru, should I open my gift now?" She asked, glancing over at him.

"Do as you wish," He replied, eyes still shut.

She sat up and reached for the parcel, wrapped in brown paper with a twine bow on top. Sesshomaru usually brought her new kimonos-ones so beautiful the only time she could wear any of them were for special occasions such as her birthday or the fall harvest festival.

Currently, she wore one such kimono. It was her favorite thus far.

The kimono was a baby blue color, with faint white and grey patterns all over. Her obi was a bright yellow, which reminded her of her Lord. He had brought her wooden tabi sandals once. The first pair she ever owned. They felt foreign to wear at first, but now she couldn't remember how she had ever managed to travel in bare feet.

She gently unwrapped the parcel in her hands, noting it was too small to be a kimono.

The package revealed to her a lovely pot, just big enough to fit in her two hands. It was painted white, with red and blue horses dancing around the sides. Black paint was used to illustrate the mountains and cherry trees in the back ground. It was truly a lovely piece, and probably worth a small fortune.

For the second time in two days, she was reminded of her mother.

Sesshomaru watched Rin turn over the little pot in her hands, looking at it with an almost sad expression. Jaken had insisted on giving her a hair comb. Maybe he should have taken the imp's advice.

"Is it to your liking?"

"Yes... I like it very much," She said quietly, never taking her eyes off the small piece of pottery. However, her expression had not changed. Jaken and Ah-Un were approaching, having noticed Rin was opening her gift.

"My mother was a potter. Some of her pieces looked just like this," She told them, almost speaking to herself.

"Your mother?" Jaken asked. Rin had never mentioned her family before.

Rin nodded solemnly. She did not wish to speak of it any more.

The group was quiet as a breeze flowed through the clearing.

Rin smiled then, and looked at up her companions.

"Kagome gave me lip rouge! I'll put that in it."

"Lip rouge! Whatever could a child need lip rouge for!" Jaken exclaimed.

"I'm not a child, Master Jaken! I'm almost an adult!"

"W-W-What! You are much too small to be an adult, Rin," He commented, flabbergasted. Jaken had been her main care-taker for the year she traveled with them. Lord Sesshomaru had protected them all from danger, sure, but it was Jaken who fed her, clothed her, forced her to bath, and baby-sat her when their lord was not around. Jaken would always see her as a little girl, barefooted, dirty, and impossible to contain.

"You're much smaller than me, Master Jaken," Rin told him, pointing her finger at him to illustrate her new-found authority.

"I will have you know, Rin, that I am over 150 years old! My kind are small but mighty! Why, I still remember the day that Lord Sesshomaru gave me this staff of two-heads. It was the proudest day of my life! My great grandfather was not much taller than I, and he fought many- Ah, Rin! Are you listening to me?" He shouted; voice shrill.

"You're rambling, Master Jaken. Long stories bore me," She sighed as she walked toward the meadow.

Sesshomaru fought a smirk as Jaken sputtered with outrage at Rin's rude behavior.

'_Some thing's never change, indeed_' He mused.

* * *

Rin waved at her companions as they flew into the sky. InuYasha stood beside her, arms crossed. He didn't understand the connection between the little girl he had grown fond of and his ass-hole of a brother.

Rin was sweet-natured, silly, and generous. His brother was a cold-blooded killer. It wasn't that long ago that InuYasha was protecting Kagome in their father's tomb from Sesshomaru's poison claws.

In any case, the little girl had warmed his brother's cold heart. Even if it is was slight.

'_What a hypocrite_,' The hanyou thought.

When the trio was out of sight, he placed a hand on Rin's head. He considered asking her about last night. He almost never sleeps, so she shouldn' be surprised to learn that he knew very well of her little 'outings' with Tatsuo, Ichi, Cheiko, Yumi, and Mai.

He decided against it. She was growing up, and if she wanted to frolic in the forest with the other kids he wouldn't stop her. He'd just kept a safe distance and made sure no demons bothered them. Kaede would sure be pissed if she knew they had all been bathing together in the hot springs, though. Kids being kids, he mused. That Tatsuo, though... He was the one InuYasha was going to have to look out for. The kid liked Rin, that much he could tell. Sesshomaru was lucky he didn't have to deal with the troublesome teenage years.

He smirked to himself as he looked down at Rin.

"Ready for some grub, kid?"

"Yes! I'm starving!"

"Hah, let's hope Kagome's in a better mood, eh?"

Rin looked at him with a knowing smile.

"Maybe you should learn to keep your mouth shut, Master InuYasha."

"Keh," He scoffed.

The two headed towards Kaede's hut, where the smell of freshly cooked fish and soup wafted through the air. Rin gave one last look over her shoulder in the direction Lord Sesshomaru had taken off. She missed him already.

* * *

Rin placed her now empty bowl on the floor. She leaned back with her hand over her stomach, completely full. She could remember the days before meeting her lord, when she was always starving. In those days, she could feel her ribs through her clothes and her stomach made gurgling sounds all night long. She had rashes on her body that itched terribly and bugs quickly infested any food she brought home. She had woken up to a rat trying to nibble on her shin once. She supposed she was that close to being dead at the time.

The conversation in the hut was light. Shippo was home from training for the first time in a long while. Everyone was eager to hear what he had been up to.

Sango and Miroku were probably eating dinner in their own hut at this point. With 4 little ones, there wasn't enough room in Kaede's hut to host everyone.

Typically, Kagome and InuYasha would also eat at their own home. But as Kagome drew closer to her "due-date" as she called it, it was much easier for her to cook with Kaede. The less work she had to do the better.

Rin looked at Kagome, who gave her a smile and a wink.

She was so pretty, Rin thought. How did InuYasha luck out with such a bright and beautiful wife?

Then again, InuYasha wasn't so bad himself. He was rough around the edges, but Rin found it was those types of people she liked the most.

She felt a special connection to the hanyou. Maybe because he vaguely looked like Lord Sesshomaru. But also, because he was an orphan, like herself.

They never talked about their childhoods, but it wasn't hard for Rin to figure it out.

Kagome had told her once that InuYasha's mother had passed away when he was very little. Rin found Kagome was easy to open up to, and told her briefly that her family had been slain by bandits. She and Kohaku were two people Rin found to be good listeners.

Lord Sesshomaru was as well, she supposed. However, she couldn't help but feel like she would only be bothering him with sad tails of her childhood. If he ever asked, she would tell him.

For now, she would happily await his next visit.

* * *

**Well, That's it for now!**

**Leave a review please! Any and all criticism is welcome! I promise there will be a plot.**

**-InuColey**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, guys!**

**Chapter 3 has arrived.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha T.T If only I was that cool!**

* * *

CHAPTER 3

Several months had gone by since the night Rin and her friends celebrated her birthday at the springs. It had snowed a few times already, leaving a very thin white cover over the ground. Rin loved the first snowfall each year.

She always hoped to be the first to put footprints in the fresh snow.

She found it peaceful. There was nothing quite like waking up early in the morning and glancing outside to see a surprise white dusting over everything in sight, and feel the chilly air on her skin. Years ago, when traveling with Lord Sesshomaru, she would sit atop Ah-Un and the group would enjoy the serenity of the landscape as they walked through the snow. At times, they would take cover in a cave when the storms became rough. Thinking back, she wondered if it was only for her sake that the group would seek shelter. She doubted her lord was bothered by the winter chill. Perhaps Master Jaken required shelter as well. The two would build a fire and huddle in the cave, cooking whatever food they could find. Often Ah-Un would bring them rabbit, or occasionally boar. Lord Sesshomaru would either lean against the wall of the cave in silence, or vanish into the storm for long periods of time. She did not remember winters before her travels with the demon lord.

This night, Rin stared up at the ceiling of her and Kaede's hut. It had been so long since those evenings spent in caves with Master Jaken. She knew it was snowing again outside, and debated sneaking out for an early morning walk.

As she decided against it and rolled over to face the wall, she heard a 'thud' outside. The noise was then followed by a loud knocking on the door.

"Oi! Kaede-baa, wake up!"

Rin recognized the voice as InuYasha's and stood up. It was odd for anyone to be out at this hour. She wrapped a thick winter yukata around herself and tied the obi in a sloppy bow, stumbling toward the door.

"Kaede-!"

"Shh, Inuyasha," Rin whispered as she pulled back the door flap, "What's going on?"

"Rin, it's Kagome... She's in labor. Get Kaede and come to the house, quickly," He told her, already turning to run back to his wife's side. He looked shaken. It was early for the baby to come, but not so soon that the child should be in too much danger. Rin had assisted in other deliveries far more risky. She supposed InuYasha was a first-time parent, after all, and it was natural to be anxious.

Rin quickly returned inside to gently nudge Lady Kaede awake. The elderly woman groaned and rolled over to face Rin, bleary eyed and groggy.

"What is it child, that ye are waking an old woman like meself in her slumber?"

"Mi-lady, Kagome is in labor, we must hurry," Rin informed her, already grabbing the older woman's belongings and handing her her Miko attire.

Kaede rose then, suddenly wide awake, and grabbed her delivery basket filled with supplies. She changing into appropriate clothing and turned to Rin.

"Rin, get a bucket of water. Meet me at the house. Go!" She urged the girl, practically pushing her out the door.

Rin nodded and grabbed the pale after she pulled on her boots.

The pre-teen made a quick trip to the well near-by and filled the bucket with water. She would need to light a fire immediately once she arrived at Kagome's hut to warm the water.

Rin stumbled to the hut, awkwardly carrying the large bucket of water at her side with both hands. It swayed and sloshed as it banged against her leg.

She was the only person outside at this time. The sun had not risen yet. The only sound to be heard were Rin's footsteps on the padded ground as she walked through the ghost-town of a village. If it weren't for the urgent matter at hand, she might have thought the image was quite beautiful. She passed Tatsuo's family home on her way, and vaguelly wondered if he was there or galavanting out in the forest, as he so loved to do at night-time. Over the last several months their trips to the springs had become more frequent, although they had made sure to remain separated by the wall of rocks.

As she drew closer to InuYasha and Kagome's hut, she could faintly hear the groaning and crying of a woman in pain. It had to be Kagome. So, the young Miko had begun pushing already. This would be a fast delivery, it seemed.

InuYasha and Miroku stood outside. Miroku nodded at Rin as she approached. InuYasha had his arms crossed and had his back leaning against the side of his hut. He stared at the ground, eyes wide, ears downward, clearly quite nervous.

Rin was surprised to see Kohaku there as well. He rarely ever visited the village. Perhaps he had been passing through last night and decided to stay. Kirara was held in his arms. He gave Rin a welcoming smile as she approached.

The three men had snow falling slowly around them, lit up by the warm orange glow peeking through cracks of the hut. Rin suddenly had a memory of glowing orange followed by falling white ash from the night she lost her family flash through her mind. It seemed ominous how different yet similar the two images were. She shook away the thought.

Miroku placed a hand on the hanyou's shoulder. He was much more experienced with fatherhood than his companion, but could still remember how scared he felt the first time. He was fortunate that Sango had such smooth deliveries each time.

"Hey, at least it's not twins," He lightly joked. The half-demon scowled at him and shrugged his hand away.

"I hate hearing Kagome in pain. I should be allowed in there," He stated, his voice sounded helpless.

Rin rushed past them, not stopping to chat.

She entered the hut and quickly discarded her outer layer, not wet from the snow, and her boots. The fire was already going, probably thanks to Sango, who now sat beside Kagome to hold her hand. The little ones must have been with Shippo at home, Rin suspected.

Kagome's eyes were squeezed shut. She had sweat dripping down her forehead. Her face was quite pale, Rin noted. Rin's eyes were slowly drawn downward, taking notice of the large amount of blood pooling between Kagome's legs.

That's not good.

Rin tried to remain calm so as not to cause alarm. She set the bucket down beside the fire for it to warm. She grabbed a few spare cloths and hurried to the younger Miko's futon, dabbing at the blood. It was accumulating quickly.

Kaede gave her a knowing, worried look.

Kagome was panting at this point. Sango repeatedly told her to stay calm and just breath.

"Where's InuYasha? I want him here," The younger Miko cried. Tears began falling from the corners of her eyes.

"Now, now, Kagome. That would hardly be appropriate," Kaede chided.

"Something's wrong! I _know_ something is wrong. What's look like down there? I-I think I'm dying!" Her voice was slightly hoarse from her pain filled wails as her own body forced her to push again.

Sango squeezed the woman's hand.

"It's ok, Kagome. We're here. We won't let anything happen to you," The Taijiya insisted. Her expression betrayed her worry.

Rin felt the blood begin to drain from her face as she stepped back and took in the full scene.

Kaede was bustling about, Kagome was bloody and sweaty and beginning to panic, while Sango was attempting to remain calm to keep Kagome calm.

Rin had seen enough death in her life to know what it looked like.

She could almost smell it. The reaper had a very specific scent. A scent she felt keenly familiar with.

"Kagome, I see the head. Ye need to continue pushing, child," Kaede spoke.

"I-I can't," Kagome panicked, "I can't push anymore!"

"There is no choice! The babe will die if ye do not push."

Kagome cried out as she strained herself. Her back arched upward unnaturally. Thick, dark blood spilled slowly from between her thighs. Veins in the woman's neck swelled and protruded. Blood vessels in her face popped. Her bangs stuck to her forehead, drenched with sweat.

Rin noticed the tuft of black hair peeking out from between the young Miko's thighs.. The baby's head.

"Rin, do not just stand there, child!" Kaede scolded harshly, looking over her shoulder at the young girl. She noticed Rin's frozen and rigid stance, and realized the girl must be beginning to freeze up.

"I... Hang on! Just hang on," The little girl said in a shaky voice as she stepped backwards towards the exit.

She hurried out the door, where the three men stood waiting for an update. InuYasha was pale in the face. He could probably smell and hear everything. Well, all of them could probably hear everything.

"What's happening, Rin? Is she ok?" InuYasha looked like he already knew the answer to his own question.

Rin panted, bent forward with her hands on her knees, finally able to catch the breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. She held in her vomit.

"We need Lord Sesshomaru," She said between pants.

The three men stood there and gawked at her.

"Like HELL we need _'Lord Sesshomaru'_," The hanyou growled in a mocking tone, white dog ears pinned back. What could his brother accomplish?

"Master InuYasha, I think-" Rin begged.

"Allow me to let you in on a little secret, Rin-_chan_, my brother and I are not buddies. He would never help us. Now, get back inside and help my wife," The half-demon warned, clearly annoyed that they were even entertaining this conversation.

At that point, Kirara transformed, and Kohaku climbed onto her back. He, like Rin, had witnessed another side of Sesshomaru the others had never known. The Demon Lord was probably their best shot. Maybe their only shot.

"Come on, Rin," He said, "Let's go."

Rin took his hand and sat in front of him on the demon cat's back.

"Hey! They _NEED_ you in there, Rin! Don't leave! He's not going to help!" InuYasha's voice could be heard distantly shouting as the two teens ascended into the air.

* * *

The teens flew through the clouds. Snow and cold air stung Rin's eyes, but she knew they could not slow down. She silently wished she had grabbed her boots and coat, but it was far too late now.

"Kohaku," She called over her should. The harsh winds made it hard to hear, "How do we know where to find him?"

"I know where he is. I saw him yesterday. He's not far," He called back.

Rin knew Kohaku and her Lord occasionally ran into each other on the road. Once in a while, they discovered they were actually trailing the same foe.

Only a few moments later, they descended toward a frozen lake. A large ogre laid dead at the water's edge. It appeared to be a fresh kill. Rin recognized the green 'slime' oozing from the ogre's fatal wounds.

Sesshomaru's poison.

Kirara landed right in front of the ogre. Rin and Kohaku climbed down. Rin's feet felt frozen at this point, but she made no mention of her pain.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" She called into the night. There was a thick line of trees leading to a dense forest ahead of them, the lake to their backsides. Leather boots could be heard softly thudding against the ground as a dark figure approached. Gold eyes glowed through the shadows of the trees.

"Rin," The figure stated. Rin let out a small sigh. Just the sound of his deep, calm voice made her relax. She felt hopeful.

"Mi-lord, it's Kagome! She's having the baby- I think she's dying! Please, help us," The human girl begged. Kohaku remained silent beside her. Her knew their best shot at getting the Daiyoukai to help them was Rin. The demon lord would certainly never listen to anyone else.

"It is not of my concern," Gold eyes narrowed.

Sesshomaru stepped forward into view, then. The claws of his left hand dripped with the ogre's blood. Red was splattered across his chest armor and the white silk of his haori. His luminous silver hair had snow on it and swayed around him. His eyes were bright against the darkness surrounding him. His skin looked inhumanly pale. Nothing about this demon looked of this world.

Rin knew begging him to change his mind, once set, was hopeless. She learned that lesson when he and Kaede first told her she would be staying in the human village. No amount of begging or yelling had swayed the Daiyoukai.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

"Please, my lord," She tried, almost at a whisper.

"Rin, I am a demon. I will not go around saving the meaningless lives of pathetic humans because a little girl begged me."

Rin was hurt by his comment. She glanced to Kohaku who gave her a sad look in return.

She suddenly felt angered.

"Don't you even care? That's your brother's child! Your niece or nephew!" Her voice was raised, and her hands were fisted at her sides. She might have been considered intimating if not for her tiny stature.

"I would have given anything to have had the power to save my family, if I could have," She said, quieter this time, but with a distinct tone of anger in her voice.

The Daiyoukai stared at his human ward in silence.

"Let's go back, Rin. You tried," Kohaku told her.

The Demon Lord and the boy locked eyes as Rin climbed back onto Kirara. She didn't even want to look at Sesshomaru. She was filled with sadness and utter disappointment.

* * *

The demon watched the two young humans take off into the sky, back in the direction they had come from. He often wondered at the bond they shared. It seemed unique. Two children brought together amidst violence, demons, and death. He noticed his ward had looked exhausted, presumably from trying to help his brother's Miko. He noted that that the second time recently she had mentioned her family in front of him.

Perhaps all this time in the human village was making her nostalgic.

The boy, Kohaku, was aging just as quickly as Rin, he noticed. Oddly enough, Sesshomaru saw more of Kohaku these days than his own ward. Training against powerful youkai on the road, the two bumped into each other from time to time. They had even visited Totosai at the same time once recently. Sesshomaru was impressed with the boy's newest weapon; a large red scythe with the ability to expand to the user's will, oozing with demonic energy. It had nowhere near the capabilities of Baksusaiga of course, but it was formidable none-the-less.

The human boy who had previously been under Naraku's control was growing into quite the slayer it would seem. He was much taller now, incredibly independent, with broad shoulders and a strong looking back. He was going to be a large man -by human standards- when full grown, that much was obvious. He was already as tall as InuYasha, and he wasn't done growing. He would become a formidable opponent someday.

As Sesshomaru re-entered the forest, about to make his way back to the camp site, he felt a familiar tingling at his side.

He gave a glance at Tenseiga.

It pulsed in return, making the demon stop.

The sword pulsed again, and began vibrating obnoxiously at his side.

'_What? You want me to help the woman, don't you_,' Sesshomaru thought to himself.

The sword clattered in its sheath, almost becoming violent. He glared angrily at the 'useless' weapon.

'_Why, father? Why did you leave me with this ridiculous thing_.'

As if in reply, the hilt of the sword jolted. He could feel Tenseiga's emotion, if swords could have such a thing. It was insisting he go to his brother's aid at once. He briefly thought about how desperate Rin sounded earlier. He thought about what she had said to him about saving her own family if she had the power.

His power.

Suddenly curious over what his father's sword had in store for him, he allowed his feet to lift into the air and silently took to the skies.

* * *

Rin and Kohaku landed outside of Kagome's and InuYasha's hut. The hanyou was now inside, as was Miroku, most likely. Rin and Kohaku entered and scanned the room.

Kagome was quite now, and unnaturally still. InuYasha sat by her side, his hair blocking his face from Rin's view. Sango was nearby. She stood, gently rocking a swaddled baby. She cooed and held the little bundle closer. She had clearly been crying as well. Miroku was beside her, looking down at the child quietly. Kohaku joined them. The baby gurgled and let out small cries, most likely hungry.

Kaede was by the water bucket facing away from Rin, quietly washing the blood-soaked cloths. Rin was not able to see her face. The fire was almost out.

No one spoke.

Kagome had passed during the birth.

Rin felt tears prick at her eyes. She thought of the new baby, who was going to grow up without a mother. She thought about InuYasha, who never thought he'd have to parent alone... InuYasha, who had been looking forward to the 'best years of his life' raising his child with his wife. InuYasha, who now sat absolutely heart-broken and devastatingly alone next to the deceased love of his life.

Pain roughly clenched Rin's heart and suddenly she found herself suffocating.

She ran outside and fell to her knees in the snow and wrapped her arms around herself. The snow was falling heavier now, the snowflakes large and beautiful, but she did not care to notice. It was cold, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything. She was just about to let herself cry -really cry- for the first time since she was seven years old, when a shadow fell over her.

Rin lifted her gaze slowly, first falling on black leather boots, then traveling up white hakama, finally landing on the face of her demonic 'angel'.

'Why has he come?' she wondered to herself. A silent tear froze from the cold on her cheek. She stared up at him wide-eyed.

"Rin. Step aside," He said calmly.

She quickly climbed to her feet and adjusted her clothes. She stepped aside to let the Demon Lord enter the hut. She followed him in.

Everyone remained quiet, although they acknowledged his presence. The baby, still secured in Sango's arms, fell silent. Rin wondered if the newborn could sense it's uncle's powerful presence as well.

InuYasha knew who had entered, but did not bother to look away from Kagome's face. Her eyes were shut. She looked like she was sleeping, although the amount of blood surrounding her was proof that she was not.

Tenseiga pulsed again.

InuYasha gave it a glance out of the corner of his eye through his shroud of bangs.

Sesshomaru drew the sword and gave it a determined swing.

Without waiting to see what happened next, he turned on his heels and swiftly stepped outside to leave.

InuYasha sucked in his breath and squeezed Kagome's cold hand. He saw her eyelids flutter, then slowly open. Tears stung his already blood-shot eyes and he desperately kissed her hand repeatedly.

"Inu... Yasha...?" She quietly spoke.

"I'm here, I'm here," He said. Everyone in the room smiled at each other and let out sounds of relief. Sango hurried over with the baby and handed it to Kagome, who received is graciously.

"It's a little boy," Kaede said, whipping tears of happiness from her eyes.

"A healthy little boy," Sango added. Miroku put his arm around her, enjoying the sight of InuYasha, Kagome, and baby together.

"What will you name him?"

"Tensei," Kagome said, never taking her eyes off the precious baby. He had black, glossy hair, and rounded human ears. As he slowly opened his eyes for the first time, Kagome smiled at their color. One brown, and one gold. His one gold eye was the only outward sign of the child's demonic pedigree. He may have demon blood, but he looked like he was sent straight from the heavens to Kagome.

"Tensei," InuYasha agreed. Naming the child after the sword of his father seemed fitting.

"Alright, everyone out. Let's get ye cleaned up now, Kagome," Kaede said, returning to her usual stern self. Everyone exited the hut. It had stopped snowing, and the sun was now peeking over the horizon, bringing a lovely yellow glow to the sky. Rin could find no sign of her Lord, but somehow sensed he wasn't too far. She ran to the outskirts of the village, and saw the tall white figure of the demon she searched for.

He turned to her. His eyes widened when he realized she was not slowing down.

She slammed into him, and buried her facing into his stomach, sobbing loudly.

The Demon Lord stood awkwardly, arms hovering at his sides. He slowly lowered one hand onto the top of her head.

"Rin," He spoke.

"Thank you! Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," She cried.

"Hnn."

"Oi, Sesshomaru," InuYasha approached.

"Listen... Thanks for what you did back there," InuYasha scratched the back of his head with one hand. The other arm held his newborn son. The half-demon was not accustomed to thanking people, much less his brother.

"I didn't do it for you, half-breed," Sesshomaru gave the bundle a curious look. InuYasha stepped forward and held out the child to him.

Rin let go of her lord's torso so he could hold his baby nephew. Much to their surprise, Sesshomaru actually took the baby from the hanyou's outstretched arms.

"We called him Tensei," InuYasha said.

Sesshomaru understood that the child was named after his sword. He looked down into the wide gold and brown eyes of baby Tensei, and felt his heartbeat against him. Tensei was very still, looking up at his uncle. It would seem Sesshomaru had a way with babies. The baby's eyes slowly shut, and he took his first nap in the safe embrace of his uncle.

Not long later, Rin found herself waving Sesshomaru goodbye, yet again. As he became a small speck in the sky, something in her heart clenched. A brand-new appreciation for the Demon Lord was beginning to grow inside of her. She had never witnessed first-hand the power of Tenseiga, and found herself actually understanding for the first time in her life what Sesshomaru really was. One of, if not the, most powerful Daiyoukai in Nippon. His power rivaled a god.

And he brings her gifts! Her, a random orphaned girl.

After he left her sight, she continued to stare up at the sky in the spot she had last seen him.

The villagers were beginning to rise for the day, having no idea what had transpired in InuYasha's hut earlier.

Rin headed back into the village, ready to begin a new day. Perhaps Cheiko would want to go for a walk today.

* * *

**Leave a review!**

**XD**

**-InuColey**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4! Let me know what you guys think by sending me a review! I'll even take flames, I don't care.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha**

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CHAPTER 4

InuYasha sat on his roof, legs crossed as he gazed up at the night sky. He listened to the crickets sing. It was a cool summer night, the first in a while. Lately the heat had been unbearable, making sleep nearly impossible for him. His wife and son lay inside the hut. He could her their faint breathes as they breathed in and out, clearly fast asleep. It had been over two years since the night Kagome had died and been resurrected through the power of the Tenseiga. Nowadays, time seemed to fly by with Tensei in their lives.

After multiple discussions, the couple had decided Tensei would be their only child. The hanyou realized he could not afford to lose Kagome from his life and was not willing to risk it. He felt his soul being crushed the night she passed away during childbirth. Kagome had told him it was from 'hemoraging', a term from her time.

After their decision, Kagome told him she would need 'birth control', and Kaede helped her create a tea that would do the trick. She drank a cup of the tea every night.

Tensei was now two and a half years old. The boy was naturally quite curious, investigating everything he found with his nose and mouth. They had initially thought his only Youkai trait would be the gold eye, but InuYasha and Kagome now suspected he may have some demonic abilities. They noticed recently that he was developing fang-shaped teeth, had a strong sense of smell, and was much faster than the other toddlers in the village.

InuYasha had never been so proud of anything in his life.

Kagome thought that after everything, the half-demon and his older brother would finally start acting like a family. However, nothing between the brothers had changed, really. The two still fought like cats and dogs. Sesshomaru still occasionally stopped by to visit Rin, and InuYasha noticed he seemed to take an interest in Tensei as well. Tensei in turn appeared to find his uncle utterly fascinating, and would follow him around like a baby chick when he visited to the village. Kagome thought it was adorable. InuYasha just thought it was annoying. Sesshomaru seemed to pay no mind.

Lately, the Demon Lord's visits had become increasingly sparse. Often it was only Jaken stopping by to see the girl.

The hanyou was roused from his thoughts when he heard soft giggling from down below. With everything that had changed over the years, there were still some things that remained the same, it seemed.

One such thing would be his brother's little companion, Rin, and her night-time adventures.

Said girl was currently passing his hut, unaware of the half-demon watching her. She was with the boy, Tatsuo. The boy held her hand, and twirled her around as if dancing. Rin giggled as he spun under his arm.

The pre-teens had grown up over the last two and a half years quite a bit.

Rin was now about the same age as Kagome when she had first released him from the tree. Her eyes retained their dark color, deep and nearly black, and framed by soft, thick lashes. Her hair reached her mid-back, and had a healthy glossy sheen to it. Her hair was left wild, as always, as she refused to tie it back in a low pony-tai like the other village women wore theirs. She had said she enjoyed feeling the wind run through it.

The girl was small in stature, and her frame was tiny as well. He remembered Kagome had more curves by her age. Rin appeared to be the runt of her friends.

Her face had matured with time as well. She had a very clean simplicity to her face. She did not have the obvious beauty that Kagome or Kikyo had, but InuYasha decided she had her own sort of prettiness to her that was equally as appealing. Lovely cheekbones and clear skin, gently tanned from all of her out-door chores, and a free spirit that was rare in this society. If Kikyo was a rose, and Kagome was a cherry blossom, Rin would be delicate little wild-flower.

Tatsuo had grown in height as well, becoming quite tall for his age. He was not as tall as Kohaku, however, who was slowly turning into some kind of beast. Sango mentioned once that their father and uncle were both tall and strong men. Apparently, her little brother took after them.

Tatsuo kept his black hair tied back in its short pony-tail as always. A few years ago it was always a mess, but now it seemed to be under control and well maintained. He was dark skinned, with light brown eyes that had a mischievous sparkle to them. The girls in the village seemed to like him. InuYasha noticed that while he often flirted with Rin, his eyes seemed to wander over to their friend Cheiko quite often. The boy was turning out to be a bit like Miroku it would seem.

InuYasha predicted that Cheiko and the other two girls would be meeting them in the woods. It was almost cute how the group of teens thought they were so sneaky, he mused. For years he had been silently watching their little escapades. At this point, he probably knew more about these people than their own parents.

* * *

Rin stifled a loud laugh as she was spun again. She had been in a rather dull mood today, yet Tatsuo always seemed to know how to lift her spirits. As they exited the village and headed for the tree line, Rin noticed Cheiko running after them.

"Hey! Don't forget me," She said, slightly out of breath.

"Sorry, Cheiko-chan, I guess we thought you were already in the forest," Rin told her.

"No, I couldn't get out of my house. My father was up late drinking with his friends. I had to wait for him to pass out!" She said, rolling her eyes. Her father was a good, hard-working man, but drank frequently with his buddies.

Tatsuo put one arm around Cheiko's waist, and the other around Rin's.

"Will Mai and Yumi be joining us?" He asked.

"I threw pebbles at their hut but they never came out. Guess they're sleeping," Cheiko shrugged.

Tatsuo grinned at the girls on either side.

"Well, you two are my favorites anyway."

Rin and Cheiko laughed at his ridiculous flirtatious behavior.

After they got a small fire going, the trio settled down on a log to gaze into the flames. The three talked as usual, laughing about anything and everything. Cheiko told them a funny story about her mother dealing with a vendor in town today that had Rin close to wetting herself.

"The annual Summer Festival is coming up," She said happily, "Rin, do you know what you're wearing? I have no idea."

"Um... no, I haven't given it any thought, to be honest," Rin lied.

In truth, she had thought about it a little bit, only because lately she often thought about Lord Sesshomaru. Normally by now he would have brought her something to wear. She would have been happy to wear one of her other kimonos, but recently she had outgrown them all. She knew she could just as well make her own outfit.

What worried her more was that her lord had yet to visit. It had been almost five months since he last came by.

That last time had been a brief visit. Rin was by the river, washing clothes. Normally she would have been there with the other women, but she had slept in and gotten a late start.

She had heard a thud behind her, and turned to see her lord standing within a dozen feet of her.

"My lord!" She had exclaimed excitedly, "What brings you here so unexpectedly?"

"I have business in the north, Rin. A very troublesome demon has made itself known. I may not be back until mid-summer."

Rin's smile faded, but she forced it to return.

"Very well, Mi-lord. Please, be safe," She said.

The two had looked at each other quietly. Rin took the moment to admire his features. The long, shiny, glamorous hair. The ornate, beautifully woven fabric of his kimono. His swords, gleaming and powerful. The large fluffy boa he kept over his shoulder, which she had had the pleasure of touching on a few sporadic occasions. His eyes, a striking bright amber. His inhuman markings. His breast plate, that had faced so many battles yet wore no scars.

The image of said armor being violently pierced by Magatsuhi's tentacle had flashed through her mind. She shook the memory away.

"Oh, don't forget to say goodbye to Tensei! He loves seeing you," She had smiled.

"I do not have time to frolic with the boy. I only came to say goodbye to you. I will return shortly, Rin."

Rin's heart had skipped a beat at his words. She suddenly felt her face heat up, which was unusual. Her lord had never made her feel bashful before.

He must have noticed the change, because his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at her...

"Rin? _Hello_!"

"Ah, what? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Rin looked to Cheiko, who had effectively interrupted her thoughts.

"I asked if you wanted me to do your hair," She said.

"Um, right now?"

"No! For the festival. Kami, when you zone out there's just no talking to you," She commented, slightly annoyed at having to repeat herself.

"Oh, yes, let's do each other's hair."

The festival was only two weeks away. Rin would need to get an outfit together quickly. Perhaps Kaede would give her a few days away from chores to make something. Rin was by no means a talented seamstress, but she knew the basics and was confident she could wrangle something together, even if it didn't turn out to be the prettiest kimono she owned.

"Where did Tatsuo go?"

"He's taking a leak," Cheiko said, rolling her eyes.

Cheiko was now over 16 years of age. She was of marrying age, actually. The thought had never occurred to Rin. Cheiko never mentioned wanted to marry before. Rin wondered if the day would come soon. The thought made her sad, as it would most likely mean the end of their midnight forest escapades. Her future husband was unlikely to allow such behavior.

Rin could have laughed at the thought of Cheiko receiving orders from some old frumpy husband. Cheiko did what Cheiko wanted to do when Cheiko felt like it, period. She supposed that's what happens when a family has four daughters. By the fourth one, they must have given up trying to tame the girl.

Her older sisters had all been married off, and all had children. Cheiko was the last one left. She would have beautiful children someday, Rin decided.

Cheiko was tall, with fully developed breasts and thick hips. She had a lovely face, with chocolate eyes and straight smooth hair. Rin had noticed that the village men would often stop what they were doing to watch Cheiko walk by.

Rin considered herself, for a moment. She did not have the voluptuous curves that Cheiko had. She had a lithe body, not quite athletic like Sango and Kagome, no matter how much she physically trained. She was slightly toned, but very petite. She did have long legs, which she liked about herself, and large eyes. Otherwise, she did not see anything special in herself.

Then again, Rin hardly cared about the opinions of others. If she was unattractive in their eyes, so be it. She didn't want to marry, anyway. Perhaps it was a blessing, as having to fend off suitors would only become a nuisance.

Rin felt satisfied with this for a moment.

But then a pale face with gold eyes and pointed ears flashed through her mind and made her feel disheartened, though she didn't understand why.

Rin's shoulders slumped as she gazed into the fire. Tatsuo returned from 'taking a leak' and began talking with Cheiko about the festival.

* * *

As the fire died down, the trio got ready to head back to the village.

After dropping off Cheiko at her family's home, Tatsuo and Rin walked slowly back to Kaede's.

"You're awfully quite tonight, Rin. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Rin lied.

Tatsuo looked down at her from the corner of his eye. He liked Rin more when she was smiling, he decided.

"There's nothing I can do to put a smile on your face?"

Rin signed, "Do you think I'm pretty, Tatsuo?"

Tatsuo stopped walking when he heard her question. The two figures stood in the middle of the dirt street, with Kaede's hut not far up ahead. The moonlight bounced off of their heads, and shone in their eyes as they looked silently at each other. Tatsuo could tell this was weighing heavily on her heart.

"You've never been one to care about your looks before," He pointed out.

"So, I'm ugly," Rin turned to leave.

"No-! I, well, just come here," He groaned, then grabbed her hand and marched her over to a small space between two buildings. The moonlight could not reach them here, and the two were shrouded in the darkness of the shadows.

He gently pushed Rin back so she was flat against the wall. One hand still held hers, the other was supporting his weight as he rested his forearm on the wall above her head. Rin was confused, but not alarmed, as she had always trusted Tatsuo.

His face was so close to hers that they practically shared the same air as they breathed. Rin's black eyes shimmered as they stared up into Tatsuo's, whose had a serious gleam in them for once. Rin swallowed thickly, suddenly a bit nervous.

"What are we doing?" She whispered to him.

"You don't think you're pretty, Rin?"

She stared up at him, not sure where he was headed.

"I find you unbelievably beautiful," He told her.

She gasped and felt her face heat up.

"Everything about you; your trusting nature, your bravery, your dark eyes. I could get lost in them... Even your lips," He finished.

"M-my lips?"

He smiled, and lowered his face down to hers, closing the distance between them.

Rin's eyes fluttered shut as she enjoyed the feeling of her first kiss. Tatsuo's lips were soft and gentle against hers. Her heart did a flipflop in her chest. She realized her face must be glowing red at this point, and she guessed Tatsuo could feel its heat.

The hand that had previously been holding hers now moved to her waist. It slowly slid down to rest delicately on her hip. The other hand, which had been above her head, now was beside her face, his fingers running through her hair and giving it a gentle tug.

Rin gasped when she felt his tongue bush against her bottom lip, and he took the opportunity to explore inside her mouth. She tasted so sweet. Her tongue tried to dance with his softly though she clearly had no experience. Her willingness to learn only made her cuter.

Just as Rin thought she had forgotten how to breath, the first ray of sunlight peaked over the horizon, it's beam hit directly into Rin's eye, and made her grimace. She had to pull away from the kiss. Tatsuo looked down at her. He was sad that the intimate moment was over, but also enjoyed taking in this view of Rin's face. As the morning sun lit up her eyes it made them appear to glow. Her pupils were visible to him for the first time ever, and he watched as they quickly tightened into tiny circles. They had clearly been quite dilatated.

Rin looked down at their feet, suddenly embraced by what they had been doing.

"Does that answer your question, Rin?"

She nodded, never taking her eyes off the ground.

"Maybe this can be our little secret, eh?"

She nodded again, face still on fire.

"You ok to walk the rest of the way back? I better hurry home," He said.

"Y-yeah, I can walk back on my own."

"Alright. See you soon, Rin-_chan_," He said teasingly. He gave her a wink and a wave as he ran in the direction of his hut.

Rin waved slowly at him, even after he was out of sight. She was stunned. _Her first kiss!_

She felt butterflies in her stomach, and put a hand over her mouth as she giggled to herself and walked the rest of the way the Kaede's. She was excited. Who knew kissing could be so much fun.

The happy thought was followed by a feeling of guilt.

Lord Sesshomaru popped into her head.

'_Why am I feeling guilty about Lord Sesshomaru_?' She wondered.

'_He wouldn't care about me kissing someone. He always tells me to do whatever I want_,' She assured herself. Yet something inside her told her otherwise.

Once she entered the hut, she tiptoed over to her futon and tucked herself in. She closed her eyes though she knew she would get no sleep. It was almost time to 'wake up' anyway.

'_That's right. I'll have to get a bolt of fabric for my festival kimono today_.'

* * *

InuYasha cocked an eyebrow at the scene that unfolded. He sat on a rooftop a fair distance away so as not to be detected, but had a clear shot of Rin and Tatsuo.

He wandering what his brother would think of the two sharing an intimate kiss.

He had no idea what the relationship between the girl and the demon lord was. His brother had always despised humans, so it was enough of a surprise to discover one had begun following him around. It was even more of a surprise to watch that same human-hating-demon dive headfirst into Naraku's fully formed body to save said human, right before the spider demon's destruction.

He cared for the human girl, that much was obvious.

Perhaps he would inform his brother of his charge's recent behavior the next time he stopped by, just to see if he could get a rise out of him. That could be fun. It had been a while since Tetsusaiga had gotten a good swing.

* * *

**The end for now!**

**So, what do you guys think? Do you like Tatasuo?! **

**Till next time,**

**-InuColey**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, that was fast! **

**Let me know what ya'll think of the story thus far. Who likes Kohaku, raise your hand!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.**

* * *

Rin sat on the floor while Cheiko kneeled behind her. Two weeks had flown by as the village got ready for the Summer Festival. This year's festival was sure to be quite large, as each year it seemed to get bigger and bigger. The village was flourishing under the protection of InuYasha, and as such it had begun quite a bit of trading with other villages and even cities.

At the festival, there would be merchants and venders from all over the area. Several surrounding villages would come to Edo in celebration. There would be large bonfires, food, drinks, music, and fireworks. Rin distinctly remembered InuYasha taking off once the fireworks began.

'_He can be such a typical dog sometimes_,' Rin giggled to herself. He would kill her if she ever said that out loud.

"Rin, hold still!" Cheiko chided as she pulled on a particularly stubborn knot.

Rin winced as her head was forcibly tugged on.

She had not told anyone of what happened between herself and Tatsuo two weeks ago. In fact, she had hardly even seen him since.

Cheiko worked through the knot, and once Rin's hair was combed to her satisfaction, she began creating a thick braid, adding small flowers to it as she went. Several hairs fell loosly around Rins face, framing it nicely. She tucked the largest flower behind Rin's ear.

Once her hair was done, Cheiko took out a small dish of white powder for the girl's face. Rin insisted they skip the power, as she hated the heaviness on her face. She would rather deal with her usual tanned features. Instead, they settled for some pink coloring for her eyelids, which reminded her of Sango, and red lip rouge.

Rin had brought her own with her in the tiny pot Lord Sesshomaru had given her. He still had yet to return from the north.

Cheiko dabbed a tiny bit onto Rin's lips with a small brush.

She then helped Rin dress. Luckily for Rin, one of Cheiko's sisters had an old kimono for her to wear that was just the right size. She hadn't had enough time to try to make her own after-all.

The kimono was a dark, burnt orange with teal and yellow details on the shoulders. The obi was a pretty pink. Rin quite liked the colorful pallet.

She looked at herself in Cheiko's mirror and silently wished Lord Sesshomaru had been able to see her all dressed up. For the first time Rin really felt like a young woman.

Rin then began working on Cheiko's hair. She combed through it with ease, and swirled it up into a bun. She added two of Cheiko's hair sticks to it, which were a dark green with gold ornaments hanging from the tips. They made a pleasant jingling sound when she moved.

Cheiko, unlike Rin, had the white powder lightly dusted across her face. It smoothed her skin tone and made her face appear fairer, as was fashionable. Rin added red to her eye lids, pink to her cheeks, and a dark red to her lips. She found her friend looked absolutely stunning, and wondered if she should have tried the white powder as well. Too late now.

Cheiko dressed in a jade colored kimono and a white obi. The kimono had intricate gold and red threaded detailing all over. She admitted it was a hand-me-down as well from another sister.

"Well, how did I turn out?' Cheiko asked.

"Very beautiful," Rin complimented her friend.

"You look pretty as well, Rin! It is fun to be pampered once in a while, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Rin agreed.

The two girls left the hut and were greeted by loud noises. Tall torches lined the streets, casting a warm orange light on everyone. Hoards of people from many surrounding villages swarmed Edo. Most of the venders had already gotten set up. Some sold food, others sold goods or had games.

Music sounded through the air. Rin could make out the sounds of a shamisen, and possibly other instruments she couldn't name. Little children Rin recognized as Sango and Miroku's ran through the maketplace chasing after a ball.

All of the excitement made Rin smile.

* * *

The girls decided the first thing they needed to do was find some food. As they headed into the crowd and made their way down the street, Rin noticed white hair and dog ears in the direction they were headed.

"InuYasha!" She called out.

The hanyou turned out acknowledged her as she approached.

"Keh, look who's all done up," He said. Rin blushed.

"InuYasha, can't you say anything nice," Kagome butted in, appearing at her husband's side. She had Tensei balanced on her hip. The half-demon put his arm around her waist.

Kagome wore a stunning deep blue kimono with a purple obi. Her hair was swept back with hair sticks, similar to Cheiko's. Her face powder and light makeup made her look even more beautiful than usual.

InuYasha had ditched his usual red garb, having had it re-made into a smaller outfit for his son. Rin understood the garment had magical abilities to protect its wearer like armor. He now often sported a dark charcoal grey kimono with a red and white obi. For battle, he would put on typical warrior chest armor since he no longer had the protection of the fire rat.

Tonight he wore the same kimono but with no armor. Rin thought this color suited him well. She thought he looked rather handsome.

"Rin, you look adorable! I love the flowers in your hair," The young Miko commented. She always had something nice to say about everyone.

"Oh, thank you..." Rin blushed, suddenly feeling shy about wearing her hair down and no face powder. Kagome gave her a knowing smile, then paid a compliment to Cheiko as well. Tensei reached for his father, who took him into his arms. Tensei buried his face into his father's shoulder. Rin wondered if he was sensitive to all the noise and smells.

"Oi, Kohaku is here by the way," InuYasha told her, "You'll probably see him around."

"Tatsuo!" Cheiko called out. She spotted him up ahead and waved her arm. She wandered off to catch up to the boy.

At the same time, InuYasha and Kagome disappeared into the crowd as well.

Rin found herself wandering through the festival alone.

As she paid for some delicious dumplings from a vender someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around and was met with a face she hardly recognized.

In front of her stood a tall man with tanned skin, dark mocha eyes, defined eye brows, a stubbly yet handsome beard, and thick brown hair pulled into a high pony-tail that fell to between his shoulder blades. The man had large muscles that Rin could see even through the fabric of his green and yellow kimono. She could just barely make out the black skin tight suit he wore underneath. She jumped on the man and gave him a powerful hug.

"Kohaku!"

"Rin, you'll drop your food!" He laughed. Rin was always over-enthused when he would visit. She never seemed to care that hugging him was utterly 'un-lady-like'.

"How have you been? Where did you travel to? Did you fight anyone? You're not hurt, are you? Of course you're not hurt, look at you! Well, I don't mean that you can't get hurt I just mean that you look so strong how can any-"

"Rin, you're rambling," He stopped her.

"Oops," She said bashfully, "Want a dumpling?"

"Sure."

They walked through the streets as they ate, with Kohaku filling her in on what he had been up to. Mostly, he was trying to train with his new weapon from Totosai. The scythe was much larger than what he had ever used before, and much more powerful as well. He had left it at his sister's for the night.

Rin listened intently. She had missed the excitement of living in the wild. She loved watching battle, yet hated violence. She wondered if that made any sense.

"Have you seen Lord Sesshomaru?" She asked, with hope in her voice.

"No, I'm sorry, Rin. I haven't seen him," He answered truthfully. Rin signed in disappointment.

'_At least that means he's still in the north and not avoiding me_,' She told herself.

Cheiko and Tatsuo appeared before them. Rin noticed they were holding hands. She made eye-contact with Tatsuo and had to look away, feeling embarrassed.

"Kohaku, long time no see," Cheiko said to him. She hardly knew the Taijiya, but Rin had told her an earful over the years. She found the young man incredibly handsome, but he had made it known to all the women hat he had no interest in romance. Tatsuo seemed to notice the way Cheiko looked longingly at the visitor, and appeared displeased.

Kohaku nodded in agreement. He was never one for social gatherings.

Rin wondered if something was going on between her friends. The thought made her feel hurt. Tatsuo had kissed her –_her first kiss ever_\- only two weeks ago. Shouldn't it be her hand that he's holding? She looked away from them. To her right was the edge of the village.

"Well, you guys want to play some games, or what?" Cheiko said.

"I think Rin and I were just about to go for a walk," Kohaku answered. Rin looked at him surprised. They hadn't spoken of going for a walk.

"Have fun," Tatsuo said as he and Cheiko walked off toward the venders.

Kohaku lead Rin the direction she had been looking, to the edge of the village. It was much darker and quieter on the outskirts of town. The two walked uphill over the grass, slightly damp from dew, and found a fallen log on the edge of the forest. From up here they could see the entire village of Edo, alight with torches and the noise of merry celebrations. He flames glittered in the dark. Rin remembered coming to this very spot with Kohaku her first year here. She had been having a hard time adjusting to her new life, and Kohaku brought here up here to get away. She could see now the proof that the village had grown. Her first festival was nowhere near this size. It was very impressive.

"Look how much the village has grown. Incredible, isn't it?"

"Yes," He agreed. He didn't take his eyes off of her.

"What's bothering you, Rin?"

"Nothing! Why do you think something is bothering me?" She was beginning to realize she must be incredibly easy to read.

"I just know you," He told her. It was true.

Rin sighed.

"I kissed Tatsuo. Well- he kissed me, I guess. But... I think he likes Cheiko. What do you think?" She asked him. Kohaku took in the information for a moment.

"Do you even like Tatsuo?" He asked.

"I- Well, we kissed," She stammered, confused.

Kohaku smiled, "Yes, so you've told me. But do you even like him?"

"I... suppose not," She admitted.

"So, why do we care who Tatsuo likes?"

It was a good question. Rin realized she must a have just felt jealous when she saw him holding Cheiko's hand. She then realized how silly that is, as she herself had held his hand countless times and it never meant anything.

'_Look at you, Rin. Getting all upset over a boy who you don't even want, and who probably doesn't even like anyone else,_' She chastised herself, '_What a fool you are._'

"Have you ever kissed anyone, Kohaku?" She asked, suddenly curious.

Kohaku smirked down at his hands which were folded in his lap, "I don't kiss and tell, Rin."

"What! Come on, I told you about my kiss!"

"Yes, I've been kissed before," He admitted.

Rin giggled. She couldn't picture it.

"I bet you were no good," She teased him. Kohaku whipped his head up to look at her. He realized she was joking and laughed.

"I'm better than that ridiculous _Tatsuo_ you love so much," He said.

"Hey!"

Rin and Kohaku continued to playfully tease each other. Kohaku had brought with him some sake in a leather flask. They passed the flask back and forth as they chatted. Rin had very little experience drinking, but she enjoyed sake on special occasions. The sake was strong, and she felt her face begin to flush and her vision become slightly distorted.

Soon enough, the fireworks started, illuminating the sky in brilliant bright colors. They both fell silent as they watched the show. Rin watched the colors light up Kohaku's eyes from the corner of her eye. She found herself wondering what type of woman it was that managed to lay a kiss on her friend, who constantly kept himself so distant from all of the women at the village. Was she someone special?

* * *

When the fireworks ended, Kohaku walked Rin home to Kaede's. Rin stumbled once or twice, slightly drunk from the sake. The torches were being doused, signaling the end of the festivities. Kohaku caught her by the elbow each time to steady her. Other villagers were drunkenly stumbling home as well, now that the festivities were over. Rin saw a few women hungrily kiss their husbands as they made their way to their homes, and children skipping back to their houses holding hands or new toys. She even saw one man entering a hut with a woman on either side, his arm around each waist, all laughing together. It would seem everyone had had a good evening.

Once they arrive at Kaede's, Rin gave Kohaku a hug. He told her he would stay for a few days this time, which was a rare treat for Rin. As she held him, she became acutely aware of the muscles on his back, hardened like stone. She found his strength comforting.

He left after that, and Rin remained in the doorway waving at him until he out of sight.

The village was quite now. Everyone was in their homes, getting ready for bed.

She turned to head to bed as well, when a tall figure landed from the sky behind her.

When she turned around, her black eyes made contact with beautiful golden orbs.

"Rin," The figure greeted. Rin felt her face flush, probably from the sake, she supposed.

"Mi-lord!" She gasped, shocked to see him before her after five long months.

"I trust you enjoyed the festival," The tall white-haired demon said to her. His face remained stoic. He had just seen Kohaku walk off, and distantly wondered if the two had spent all evening together.

Rin gawked at him for a moment. It was the middle of the night and her lord had decided to visit her now?

"Yes, the festival was fun," She told him, "Oh! You should have come, Mi-lord! Too bad you hadn't arrived sooner."

"It is not in my nature to attend human celebrations."

"Oh, right..." Rin felt stupid for her remark. No wonder he was here so late. He had probably been waiting for her to go home.

Sesshomaru could tell from her scent that the girl was intoxicated. If that wasn't telling enough, her slight swaying and reddened face were dead give-aways as well.

Regardless of her state, the Demon Lord noticed Rin was wearing a new kimono, and it was not one he remembered giving her. It fit her petite frame nicely. The burnt orange suited her. It vaguely reminded him of the checked yukata she wore as a child. He always thought she looked best in warm colors, as they complimented her warm personality perfectly. Her hair was pulled back into a thick braid instead of the usual side pony-tail, with a large flower tucked behind her ear.

Rin stared up at him with big doe eyes, and for a moment the demon wondered if she was debating hugging him again as she had the night the young Miko had been resurrected. Looking at her deep, black eyes, he then noticed the face make-up she wore, though light. Pink on her eyelids, and red on her lips, which were turned up in a smile.

"Are you staying?"

"I will stay through tomorrow, if you wish," He replied.

The girl's smile widened, showing her teeth. Toothy smiles were most 'un-lady-like', but Sesshomaru found he enjoyed seeing them on his ward's face.

Rin turned to go inside, but then she stopped mid-step.

Before she could second guess herself, she whipped back around and gave the Daiyoukai a hug around his waist. She buried her face into his fur. The demon stood still, but was less shocked as the first time. The top of Rin's head only reached his chest. He figured this was probably going to be her full height, as humans tended to stop growing at about this age. Such a tiny little thing. Looking down at the top of his ward's head, he took in her scent. Rin smelled like the flowers she wore in her hair and the grassy fields she spent so much time in. Both were comforting, natural smells.

She also still smelled of sake.

Suddenly uncomfortable, he placed his hands on her shoulders to nudge the girl away.

"Rin-,"

"I've just missed you! Please, let me stay a little longer," She said. She inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of his fur boa. She remembered seeing his true form, and toyed with the thought of what it would be like to hug him in that state.

The thought made her giggle to herself.

"Rin, let go," The Daiyoukai told her. His voice was gentle but stern.

The girl let go and stepped back, still smiling goofily at the image she had been entertaining.

"What do you find so amusing?"

"Oh, nothing, really. I was imagining what it would be like to hug you," She said.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. Is that not what she had just been doing?

"I mean, the real you. In your true form," She added. She heard her words as she spoke them and then realized how ridiculous she sounded. There was a moment of silence.

"I hardly think you could reach your arms around me in my true form."

'_Did he just make a joke?_' Rin asked herself.

She bursted out laughing, not aware of how loud she was. The corner of Sesshomaru's mouth twitched upward.

"I will be back tomorrow, Rin."

"Yes, My Lord. See you then," She said, still grinning at him.

Rin watched as he floated up into the sky. Where he was going to stay, she had no idea. Most likely in the forest.

'_How can I possibly sleep now_,' She asked herself as she cured up on her futon for the night. She would have to at least try.

* * *

**Alright, that's all for now!**

**-InuColey**


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